Devils' details are in: Monarto Safari Park confirms two boys, two girls

Four Tasmanian devil joeys have had their first health check.

Peri Strathearn

Aug 17, 2020 — 1 min read

Better the Tasmanian devil you know.

After their first health check, keepers at Monarto Safari Park now know a lot more about the litter of four joeys who were born to mum Thumbelina in March.

Two are boys and two are girls; each weighs between 367 and 402 grams; and keeper Simon Dower said all were healthy.

Seven more joeys were also born to two other mothers, Violet and Xena, this breeding season.

“Even though these joeys look small now, they’re actually not much bigger than a grain of rice when they're born and stay inside mum’s pouch until they’re around four months old,” Mr Dower said.

“It’s around this age, four months, that we’ll start to see them venture out of the den and sometimes ride around on their mum’s back, which is lovely to see.”

The joeys do not yet have names.

The winners of a naming competition will be announced shortly.

Entrants were asked to submit names starting with X, Y or Z.

The young marsupials will provide valuable genetic variety to a regional breeding program intended to save the species from the facial tumour disease which has devastated wild populations in recent years.

Other young devils bred at Monarto have already been released onto Maria Island, on Tasmania’s east coast, where an insurance population is growing.

Speaking of precautions intended to protect against disease, visitors to Monarto Safari Park are encouraged to pre-book tickets online to ensure the park can manage the risk of COVID-19.